Awwwww. Trump has a boo-boo face. Maybe he should stop whining and start negotiating. Isn't that what he's supposed to be the best at? Pelosi gets in a few nice swings.

Quote

President Donald Trump on Saturday groused that he was marking his one-year anniversary in office with a government shutdown, blaming Democrats for putting him in this unpleasant position.

“Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border,” the President wrote in the first of three early morning tweets. “They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess!”

“This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present,” he added. “#DemocratShutdown.”

Republicans and Democrats in the Senate failed to come to an agreement on a spending bill to fund the federal government before Friday’s midnight deadline. Though the GOP controls the White House, has a majority in both the Senate and House, and a handful of Senate Republicans voted with Democrats to filibuster legislation that would have averted a shutdown, Republicans on Capitol Hill are blaming Democrats for the shutdown.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) struck back Saturday morning, blaming Republicans for spending all their time on a corporate tax cut when they could have been negotiating to keep the government funded, and highlighting Trump’s tweet from last summer saying “our country needs a good shutdown.”

“Your wish has come true for your one-year anniversary,” she said, slamming Trump and congressional Republicans for “all-around incompetence, inefficiency and prioritizing with all your hearts and soul that one percent at the expense of the rest of the country.”

“Despite controlling the House, the Senate and the White House, the Republicans were so incompetent, so negligent that they couldn’t get it together to keep the government open. They could get it together to pass a tax credit, 83 percent of which benefits the top one percent, but they couldn’t get it together to pass CHIP,” she continued.

" 'Individual conscience' means that women only get contraceptives if their employers, their physicians, their pharmacists, their husbands and/or fathers, pastors, and possibly their mayors, Governors, State Secretaries of Health, Congressmen, Senators, and President all agree that in that particular case they're justifiable." --D.C. Sessions

"That's the problem with being implacable foes - no one has any incentive to treat you as anything more than an obstacle to be overcome."

"The 'Road to Serfdom' is really all right turns." --Progressive Whisperer

""The GOP ... where every accusation is also a confession." --Progressive Whisperer

Apparently Claire McCaskill proposed that military pay, death benefits, and veterans benefits continue during the shutdown.

McConnell blocked it to keep the military hostage.

The way a lot of catastrophes happen is that X doesn't occur because there are safeguards in place, therefore people assume X isn't a worry and they remove the safeguards. Then X happens.
— Nate Silver
"Robots aren't the problem. Capitalism is." -- Last words of Stephen Hawking.
These days, "libertarian" is just a euphemism for a Nazi who's afraid to commit.
"If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." -- Heather Heyer
"I'd rather have my child, but by golly, if I gotta give her up, we're gonna make it count." -- Her mother
"Your purpose, then, plainly stated, is that you will destroy the Government, unless you be allowed to construe and enforce the Constitution as you please, on all points in dispute between you and us. You will rule or ruin in all events." -- some RINO

Apparently Claire McCaskill proposed that military pay, death benefits, and veterans benefits continue during the shutdown.

McConnell blocked it to keep the military hostage.

McConnell is garbage. What a waste of human organs that could help decent people.

" 'Individual conscience' means that women only get contraceptives if their employers, their physicians, their pharmacists, their husbands and/or fathers, pastors, and possibly their mayors, Governors, State Secretaries of Health, Congressmen, Senators, and President all agree that in that particular case they're justifiable." --D.C. Sessions

"That's the problem with being implacable foes - no one has any incentive to treat you as anything more than an obstacle to be overcome."

"The 'Road to Serfdom' is really all right turns." --Progressive Whisperer

""The GOP ... where every accusation is also a confession." --Progressive Whisperer

The way a lot of catastrophes happen is that X doesn't occur because there are safeguards in place, therefore people assume X isn't a worry and they remove the safeguards. Then X happens.
— Nate Silver
"Robots aren't the problem. Capitalism is." -- Last words of Stephen Hawking.
These days, "libertarian" is just a euphemism for a Nazi who's afraid to commit.
"If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." -- Heather Heyer
"I'd rather have my child, but by golly, if I gotta give her up, we're gonna make it count." -- Her mother
"Your purpose, then, plainly stated, is that you will destroy the Government, unless you be allowed to construe and enforce the Constitution as you please, on all points in dispute between you and us. You will rule or ruin in all events." -- some RINO

I should explain, that the current situation that the Republicans have engineered is directly comparable to "Sophie's Choice."

The way a lot of catastrophes happen is that X doesn't occur because there are safeguards in place, therefore people assume X isn't a worry and they remove the safeguards. Then X happens.
— Nate Silver
"Robots aren't the problem. Capitalism is." -- Last words of Stephen Hawking.
These days, "libertarian" is just a euphemism for a Nazi who's afraid to commit.
"If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." -- Heather Heyer
"I'd rather have my child, but by golly, if I gotta give her up, we're gonna make it count." -- Her mother
"Your purpose, then, plainly stated, is that you will destroy the Government, unless you be allowed to construe and enforce the Constitution as you please, on all points in dispute between you and us. You will rule or ruin in all events." -- some RINO

Republicans have now entered into the trench warfare phase of politics. We know that McConnell cynically blocked a motion to get military members paid through the shutdown. We know that Trump negotiated terms and then blew them up when Kelly herded him like a dumb sheep to the right-most pasture.

Quote

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) blamed the White House.

“They hammered out an agreement and Chuck Schumer made major concessions,” Durbin said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” referring to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). “Within two hours the White House called and said the deal is off.”

The White House tried to blame the Dems. Apparently Mulvaney doesn't understand the meaning of the word "dysfunctional" which is incredibly ironic.

Quote

The White House blamed Senate Democrats.

“I had no idea that the Democrats in the Senate were this dysfunctional,” Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told CNN that he had not talked to President Trump Saturday, after they meet in the Oval Office a day earlier.

“They have not called me. They say they’re not negotiating. That’s foolish,” Schumer said. “I have asked them to bring the big four, myself, Leader McConnell, Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi to the White House today, but we haven’t heard from them.”

For a change at least McConnell said something true. He just needs to direct it at himself. He also doesn't know the meaning of "delay".

Quote

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), meanwhile, gave a floor speech in which he said Democrats’ refusal to give them the votes they needed to pass a funding bill — which needs 60 votes to overcome a filibuster — was delaying talks on the disagreements that prompted the shutdown, rather than advancing them.

President Donald Trump on Sunday pushed for Senate Republicans to use the “nuclear option” and change the chamber’s rules to pass a spending bill with a simple majority if congressional deadlock continues while the government is shut down.

“If stalemate continues, Republicans should go to 51% (Nuclear Option) and vote on real, long term budget, no C.R.’s!” Trump tweeted.

What a clusterf***. Republicans really have no idea how to govern. They are still acting like the minority party.

" 'Individual conscience' means that women only get contraceptives if their employers, their physicians, their pharmacists, their husbands and/or fathers, pastors, and possibly their mayors, Governors, State Secretaries of Health, Congressmen, Senators, and President all agree that in that particular case they're justifiable." --D.C. Sessions

"That's the problem with being implacable foes - no one has any incentive to treat you as anything more than an obstacle to be overcome."

"The 'Road to Serfdom' is really all right turns." --Progressive Whisperer

""The GOP ... where every accusation is also a confession." --Progressive Whisperer

“I’d like to say it’s going to end pretty fast and I think it probably will end pretty fast because it’s stupid to be doing what we’re doing — but as of right now I don’t know if it’s going to be Friday or Sunday or Monday or Tuesday,” Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) told TPM early Saturday afternoon. “If it goes past Monday it’s a problem because it becomes easier to stay out and then an issue gets blurred and then personalities get involved and then nobody remembers why they’re fighting but they’re fighting and that’s when you really have trouble.”

Quote

“Negotiating with President Trump is like negotiating with jello. It’s next to impossible,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters, slamming Trump for tentatively agreeing to a series of possible DACA deals before reneging on those pledges. “As soon as you take one step forward the hard right forces the president three steps back… It’s next to impossible to strike a deal with the president because he can’t stick to the terms.”

“He thinks the entire government should be shut down until he gets his way on illegal immigration,” he said in a floor speech to open the Senate on Saturday. “The solution is to end the foolishness that’s hurting millions Americans who have done absolutely nothing to deserve this.”

Quote

Things only got worse from there, as Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney accused Schumer of lying about the amount he offered Trump to fund the wall.

“Mr. Schumer is going to have to up his game a little bit and be more honest with the president of the United States,” he said in a White House briefing.

Schumer’s spokesman shot back:

Quote

@mattwhouse
Director Mulvaney was not in the lunch, and is not telling the truth.

Period, full stop.

Quote

But many said it was up to the president to show leadership, and nearly all Democrats remained firm in their demand for DACA to be a part of any deal.

“Only the internal workings of the cerebral mechanism of President Trump would answer that question. It is impossible for me to understand,” Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) told TPM when asked if he thought Congress might find a compromise before the end of the weekend.

" 'Individual conscience' means that women only get contraceptives if their employers, their physicians, their pharmacists, their husbands and/or fathers, pastors, and possibly their mayors, Governors, State Secretaries of Health, Congressmen, Senators, and President all agree that in that particular case they're justifiable." --D.C. Sessions

"That's the problem with being implacable foes - no one has any incentive to treat you as anything more than an obstacle to be overcome."

"The 'Road to Serfdom' is really all right turns." --Progressive Whisperer

""The GOP ... where every accusation is also a confession." --Progressive Whisperer

I see the shutdown as the result of the Republican factions fighting amongst themselves. Hard liners on immigration are fighting (not openly) with others who don't see this a hill to die on. Both factions are seeking the approval of Trump who has given both of them his approval at different times in the last two weeks. McConnell said something about how it's hard to do anything when they don't know what Trump's position is. I suspect there's residual resentment over the failure to repeal ACA on the Senate side too.

I suspect there's residual resentment over the failure to repeal ACA on the Senate side too.

I suspect there's a lot of anger over being force to face your own techniques because you accidentally are now in the majority with control of the White House. they literally had no plans for this scenario.

" 'Individual conscience' means that women only get contraceptives if their employers, their physicians, their pharmacists, their husbands and/or fathers, pastors, and possibly their mayors, Governors, State Secretaries of Health, Congressmen, Senators, and President all agree that in that particular case they're justifiable." --D.C. Sessions

"That's the problem with being implacable foes - no one has any incentive to treat you as anything more than an obstacle to be overcome."

"The 'Road to Serfdom' is really all right turns." --Progressive Whisperer

""The GOP ... where every accusation is also a confession." --Progressive Whisperer

I suspect there's a lot of anger over being force to face your own techniques because you accidentally are now in the majority with control of the White House. they literally had no plans for this scenario.

Well, other than “we get to do whatever we want and blame the other side for any problems”. That part of their plan is there, it just doesn’t work out.

Talking with the (furloughed) offspring yesterday, I had this thought:

"Essential personnel" are working unpaid through the shutdown, in the (reasonable from past experience) expectation that they'll be paid when it ends. Then again, the previous shutdowns were under Democratic administrations.

This Administration isn't Democratic, it's Nihilist. It believes in cutting civil service pay, pensions, etc. So why not send the message that working for Uncle Sam risks working for free from time to time with no compensation?

The way a lot of catastrophes happen is that X doesn't occur because there are safeguards in place, therefore people assume X isn't a worry and they remove the safeguards. Then X happens.
— Nate Silver
"Robots aren't the problem. Capitalism is." -- Last words of Stephen Hawking.
These days, "libertarian" is just a euphemism for a Nazi who's afraid to commit.
"If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." -- Heather Heyer
"I'd rather have my child, but by golly, if I gotta give her up, we're gonna make it count." -- Her mother
"Your purpose, then, plainly stated, is that you will destroy the Government, unless you be allowed to construe and enforce the Constitution as you please, on all points in dispute between you and us. You will rule or ruin in all events." -- some RINO

Thank you for calling the White House. Unfortunately, we cannot answer your call today, because Congressional Democrats are holding government funding, including funding for our troops and other national security priorities, hostage to an unrelated immigration debate. Due to this obstruction, the government is shut down. In the meantime, you can leave a comment for the president at www.whitehouse.gov/contact. We look forward to taking your calls as soon as the government reopens.

" 'Individual conscience' means that women only get contraceptives if their employers, their physicians, their pharmacists, their husbands and/or fathers, pastors, and possibly their mayors, Governors, State Secretaries of Health, Congressmen, Senators, and President all agree that in that particular case they're justifiable." --D.C. Sessions

"That's the problem with being implacable foes - no one has any incentive to treat you as anything more than an obstacle to be overcome."

"The 'Road to Serfdom' is really all right turns." --Progressive Whisperer

""The GOP ... where every accusation is also a confession." --Progressive Whisperer

Schumer said he “essentially agreed to give the President something he wants in exchange for something we both want” during a meeting on Friday.

“The President picked a number for a wall,” Schumer said, referring to Trump’s proposed wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. “I accepted it.”

After meeting with Trump on Friday, Schumer said that he floated the idea of funding the wall in exchange for continued protection for undocumented immigrants covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Schumer on Sunday said his accord with Trump “was only tentative, no handshakes,” and ultimately did not prevent the government shutdown.

“It all really stems from the President, whose inability to clinch a deal has created the Trump shutdown,” Schumer said. “He can’t take yes for an answer. That’s why we’re here.”

" 'Individual conscience' means that women only get contraceptives if their employers, their physicians, their pharmacists, their husbands and/or fathers, pastors, and possibly their mayors, Governors, State Secretaries of Health, Congressmen, Senators, and President all agree that in that particular case they're justifiable." --D.C. Sessions

"That's the problem with being implacable foes - no one has any incentive to treat you as anything more than an obstacle to be overcome."

"The 'Road to Serfdom' is really all right turns." --Progressive Whisperer

""The GOP ... where every accusation is also a confession." --Progressive Whisperer

That is some epic trolling -- and you can bet that the Mango Mandarin (which is, BTW, a line from Bath and Body Works dating way back) will take the bait.

The way a lot of catastrophes happen is that X doesn't occur because there are safeguards in place, therefore people assume X isn't a worry and they remove the safeguards. Then X happens.
— Nate Silver
"Robots aren't the problem. Capitalism is." -- Last words of Stephen Hawking.
These days, "libertarian" is just a euphemism for a Nazi who's afraid to commit.
"If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." -- Heather Heyer
"I'd rather have my child, but by golly, if I gotta give her up, we're gonna make it count." -- Her mother
"Your purpose, then, plainly stated, is that you will destroy the Government, unless you be allowed to construe and enforce the Constitution as you please, on all points in dispute between you and us. You will rule or ruin in all events." -- some RINO

Mitch McConnell, seeing future elections with the GOP being the Party of Trump, is not interested. He's already given away his favorite toy for judicial and SCOTUS nominees. He's already facing a minority-wide "NO!" for his years of obstruction, killing any chance of getting 60 votes for anything that isn't actually a bipartisan bill.

Quote

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Sunday pushed back on President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Senate Republicans should change the chamber’s rules to pass a long-term spending bill with 51 votes if negotiations remain fruitless.

“The Republican Conference opposes changing the rules on legislation,” a spokesperson for McConnell told TPM in an email.

" 'Individual conscience' means that women only get contraceptives if their employers, their physicians, their pharmacists, their husbands and/or fathers, pastors, and possibly their mayors, Governors, State Secretaries of Health, Congressmen, Senators, and President all agree that in that particular case they're justifiable." --D.C. Sessions

"That's the problem with being implacable foes - no one has any incentive to treat you as anything more than an obstacle to be overcome."

"The 'Road to Serfdom' is really all right turns." --Progressive Whisperer

""The GOP ... where every accusation is also a confession." --Progressive Whisperer

Graham (R-SC) on Sunday blamed the White House staff for “making it very difficult” for Congress and President Donald Trump to come to an agreement on immigration, specifically calling out White House aide Stephen Miller for being “an outlier” on the issue.

“I’ve talked with the President, I think his heart is right on this issue,” Graham told reporters Sunday, referencing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration program, one of several key issues keeping Congress from coming to a budget agreement that would reopen the federal government.

“I think he has a good understanding of what will sell,” he continued. “Every time we have a proposal it is only yanked back by staff members. As long as Stephen Miller is in charge of negotiating immigration, we’re going nowhere. He’s been an outlier for years.”

The White House quickly shot back, calling Graham an “outlier” and blaming him for peddling legislation that values “people in this country illegally and unlawfully instead of our own American citizens,” according to a statement shared with Fox News and other outlets.

Graham’s attacks on Miller stem from the aide’s highly conservative views on immigration and new reports that both Miller and Chief of Staff John Kelly have been actively stonewalling Trump’s efforts to compromise with Democrats.

According to a new report from The New York Times, President Donald Trump has reportedly privately told lawmakers in recent weeks that he is enthusiastic about coming to an agreement on the legal status of DACA recipients. Both Kelly and Miller have shut down those negotiations, according to the report, pushing for a compromise proposal that also includes tough policies on issues like the border wall and the adoption of a merit-based immigration system.

" 'Individual conscience' means that women only get contraceptives if their employers, their physicians, their pharmacists, their husbands and/or fathers, pastors, and possibly their mayors, Governors, State Secretaries of Health, Congressmen, Senators, and President all agree that in that particular case they're justifiable." --D.C. Sessions

"That's the problem with being implacable foes - no one has any incentive to treat you as anything more than an obstacle to be overcome."

"The 'Road to Serfdom' is really all right turns." --Progressive Whisperer

""The GOP ... where every accusation is also a confession." --Progressive Whisperer

The White House is defending a tough new ad by President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign that says Democrats will be “complicit” in any killings committed by immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

The 30-second spot was released on Saturday’s anniversary of Trump’s inauguration and amid the government shutdown. Democrats are refusing to fund the government unless Republicans agree to protect some 700,000 immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. The ad highlights the Republican president’s pledge to build a border wall and tighten border security.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders says national security is Trump’s top priority as president.

Sanders told ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday that “it’s absolutely appropriate for the commander in chief to do everything he can to make sure he’s protecting our citizens.”

If that's the case then Trump and the Republicans are complicit in many deaths:

Drug related crime due to treating marijuana as a Schedule 1 narcotic

Murders by police now that Sessions has gone hands-off

Any death where an legally purchased but not background checked gun was used

Any death from a lack of health insurance

Any death from pollution due to relaxed regulations and enforcement

I'm probably missing quite a few. Looks to me like the GOP is the Party of Death.

" 'Individual conscience' means that women only get contraceptives if their employers, their physicians, their pharmacists, their husbands and/or fathers, pastors, and possibly their mayors, Governors, State Secretaries of Health, Congressmen, Senators, and President all agree that in that particular case they're justifiable." --D.C. Sessions

"That's the problem with being implacable foes - no one has any incentive to treat you as anything more than an obstacle to be overcome."

"The 'Road to Serfdom' is really all right turns." --Progressive Whisperer

""The GOP ... where every accusation is also a confession." --Progressive Whisperer